Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-07-21
Obtaining Money Under False Pretences.

Last Thursday evening n stranger
came into Lancaster on the 7:10 trair
who was travelling for the Necedah
Lumber Co. So he stated to Henry
Muesse from whom he wanted TO borrow
$5 to pay his fare home to Milwaukee
the next morning. He had run shor
of funds and was expecting draft
from the firm. Mr.. Muesse did not &C.
commodate him.
He called on Judge Clementson and
stated that be was newhew of Hon
Chas. E. Dyer, of Racine, Judge of the
United States Court for the eastern
district of Wisconsin; that his name
was AL. Potter, residence 1874 18th St
Milwaukee. and that he was IN the real
estate business, spending most of his
time in the northern part of the state
that he owned land in Iowa and had
Just been out there to see about it
that through some delay he had spent
more money than he counted on and that
on his return he got as far as Galena
where he found that he had not enough
to get to his home in Milwaukee, SO he
ran over to Lancaster expecting to meet
friend who would lend him enough
to pay his hotel bill and buy his ticket
home. But the man was not here.
The Judge let him have a dollar ia
pay for his supper and lodging. About
half-past nine he went to Tony Howell's
and got shaved. He made some in
quiries about Mr.. Meyer, the banker
After getting shaved he went to Mr.
Meyers house and asked for loan Of
S., stating that he had funds in Mitch
CLIPS bank in Milwaukee. Mr.. Meyer
told him to call at the bank at s O'Clock
the next morning. He did not call, but
went again to Judge Clementson who
let him have So more. The Judge
thought there was something fishy about
his stories, but did not refuse to help a
man in trouble, especially if he was
relative of Judge Dyer's. AT
ter the train had gone out the Judge
went up to the depot and asked station
agen Decker if such a man bought a
ticket to Milwaukee. No licked had
been sold to Milwaukee but a man an
swering to the description had bought a
ticket to Woodman.
The Judge then telegraphed to Judge
Dyer asking if he had a nephew named
al. Potter. The answer came back
that Potter was "lying fraud" that he
had played the same game before.
Judge Clementson then swore out a
warrant for the fellows arrest, and
Sheriff Dolphin telegraphed to Con-
ductor Sam Clifford to hold him.
He was brought back on the evening
train and lodged in jail The next
morning he was brought before Justice
Baldwin and took an adjournment to
Saturday Jul y23, at nine o'clock.
The name he gave was undoubtelyd his
right name-Alphonso Potter. His
father was formerly principal of the
High School at Burlington, this state,
and now resides at Phillips. Young
Potter had a fair education, Of
which he appears to have made very
poor use. He is well known in Racine
where his reputation is not good. He
confesses that his representations to
Judge Clementson and others were
false, and looks for leniency, relying
upon the sympathy which he expects
his tears and stories about his "wife
and twins" and aged invalid mother
will arouse.
He is big strapping fellow and will
weigh considerably over 200ibs. He
says he will be 80 years old next Sun
day, and regrets the prospect of spen-
ding his birthday in jail He was very
communicative to the HERALD reporter
who visited him in Jail yesterday, but
his stories in Jail as we'll out can not be
swallowed, even with large lump of
salt. For instance he stated he was a
newspaper man had been connected
with various Chicago, Milwaukee and
St. Paul papers. But the very fact
that he does not always tell the truth
falsifies that statement He is very
nervous, andifanything else than rogue,
is something of crank, and is perhaps
little off Sin the upper story